Method, processing device and processing line for mechanically processing an organ or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry

ABSTRACT

A method and processing device for processing an organ package taken out from slaughtered poultry is provided. At least two cooperating rollers that define a nip between the rollers selectively allow preselected organs from the organ package to pass through the nip. The rollers during operation rotate in opposite directions in order to convey the organ package and simultaneously promote that the preselected organs pass through the nip, wherein the rollers have a cross-sectional diameter, the value of which varies as seen in the longitudinal direction of the rollers and depends on the location of the cross-section between an entrance portion and an exit portion of the rollers so as to provide each of the rollers with a superficial curved contour.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

The present application is a Divisional Application of and claimspriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/659,787 filed Mar. 17,2015, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Dutch (NL)Application No. 2012465, filed Mar. 18, 2014, which is incorporatedherein by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of the present disclose relates generally to amethod, processing device and processing line for mechanicallyprocessing an organ or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a method for mechanically processing an organ ororgans taken out from slaughtered poultry in a processing device orprocessing line, which organ or organs form part of an organ package andwherein the organ or organs are reoriented with the processing devicebefore being separated from the organ package. Usually the organ packagetaken out from the poultry includes the intestines of the poultry.

The invention also relates to a processing line for harvesting an organor organs from an organ package taken out from slaughtered poultry,which processing line includes at least one processing device forprocessing an organ or organs from the organ package.

EP-A-1 769 681 describes a method and device for mechanically processinga cluster of organs of a slaughtered animal, wherein the cluster istaken out of, and separated from, the body of the slaughtered animal. Aclamping device is used to fix a particular organ within the cluster,which cluster is conveyed along a predetermined path. Then, tissueconnections in the cluster are broken on the basis of the spatialorientation of the cluster, which is derived from the spot where theconcerning organ is clamped. In this known device, separation of theintestines from the viscera package is executed by application ofhelical rollers that are driven in opposite directions with respect toeach other, and wherein the organ package is fixed by clamping meansabove the rollers.

U.S. Publication No. 2008/0160892 discloses a method and apparatus forharvesting livers and hearts from a viscera package. An infeed pinchroller assembly is provided that does not include means to fix theviscera package above the roller assembly, which includes an intestinepull down and a liver and heart separator assembly. The viscera packageis supplied to a pair of counter rollers. The package is captured byinfeed pinch rollers thereby forcing the package into and between therollers with only the gizzard remaining on top of the rollers. The leftand right rollers converge along a nip line and the space between therollers is sufficient to allow the liver and heart and the intestines topass therethrough. The liver and heart are isolated and separated by apulldown stripper assembly and a stripper arm assembly downstream of therollers.

From EP-A-2 103 222 a separator is described that includes twocooperating rollers that are at least in part circumferentially providedwith grooves. The first rollers define a preferably adjustable nipbetween the rollers for selectively allowing preselected organs from anorgan package to pass through. During operation, the rollers rotate inopposite directions in order to convey the organ packages andsimultaneously promote the preselected organ or organs to pass throughthe nip. This document also discloses that the rollers define anarrowing nip as seen in the conveying direction of the rollers, so asto cause that preselected organs are moved through the nip at the widerpart of the nip while preselected other organs remain supported andconveyed by the rollers.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,313 discloses a processing device for harvestinggizzards. The device includes two cooperating rollers defining a nipbetween the rollers, each rotatably mounted at opposite ends in bearingblocks. The bearing blocks are adjustable so that the rollers can beshifted with respect to each other. Usually the bearing blocks areadjusted so that the rollers are generally parallel to each other andhorizontally aligned, spaced apart at a distance that—due to theconstruction of the rollers—is variable along their length. The rollershave infeed and discharge ends with a tapered portion in between. Theinfeed portion has a first thread crest diameter, and the dischargeportion has a second thread crest diameter being larger than the firstthread crest diameter. The tapered portion has a thread crest diameterthat increases from the first thread crest diameter at the infeedportion to the second thread crest diameter at the discharge portion.The nip between the rollers varies accordingly.

From NL 8502785, a device is known for separating gizzards fromintestines taken out of slaughtered poultry. The device includes twoparallel counter rotating rollers, which each have corresponding screwlike circumferential ribs serving for conveying the gizzards andintestines. The forward ends of the rollers develop into a part withmore densely provided ribs that eventually end into ribs having oppositepitch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in thefollowing description, or may be obvious from the description, or may belearned through practice of the invention.

In general, methods and processing lines for mechanically processing anorgan or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry with the aim toharvest the separate organs from the organ package are suffering fromdiverse problems such as organ packages or organs thereof are lostduring processing, damage occurs to organs such as the liver and theheart, unintentionally certain organs such as gallbladders are notremoved, or organs are not entirely separated and cause obstructions inthe processing line. In certain prior art the packages are acceleratedon top of the rollers, which means that the processing time isrelatively short. Another disadvantage may be that dirt is gathered ator near the rollers.

The present invention addresses at least some of these problems andprovides an alternative solution to existing methods and machines forprocessing an organ or organs that form part of an organ package and istaken out of slaughtered poultry.

To this end a method, a processing device and a processing line areproposed in accordance with the appended claims.

According to one exemplary aspect of the invention, a processing devicefor processing an organ package taken out from slaughtered poultry isproposed. The device includes at least two cooperating rollers thatdefine a nip between the rollers for selectively allowing preselectedorgans from the organ package to pass through the nip. During operation,the rollers rotate in opposite directions in order to convey the organpackage and simultaneously promote that preselected organs pass throughthe nip. The rollers have portions with relatively small diameters andportions with relatively large diameters with reference to each other,that are intermittently and repeatedly provided in the longitudinaldirection of the rollers, to arrange that the rollers have across-sectional diameter.

The value of the cross-sectional diameter varies as seen in thelongitudinal direction of the rollers, depending on the location of thecross-section between an entrance portion and an exit portion of therollers, so as to provide each of the rollers with a superficial andrepetitiously curved contour. According to this exemplary aspect of theinvention, the rollers include a superficial curved contour, whichsurprisingly results in an improved positioning of the gizzard on top ofthe rollers, wherein the remainder of the organ package, notably theheart, the liver and the intestines are effectively guided through thenip to a position below the rollers enabling an effective furtherprocessing for separating the organs from each other.

The varying cross-sectional diameter of the rollers provides that eachroller exhibits portions with relatively small diameters and portionswith relatively large diameters in comparison with each other, andprovides the advantage that the packages are repeatedly accelerated,decelerated, again accelerated etc. so that a massaging effect on theorgan package is reached that effectively forces the above-mentionedremainder of the organ package below the rollers.

Due to the intermittent positioning of the portions with small diametersand portions with large diameters the organ package is moved from leftto right and back while the package is being conveyed in the transportdirection of the rollers. This causes the conveying speed of the organpackages to be reduced, which enables a more effective separationbetween the gizzard on top of the rollers and the remainder of the organpackage below the rollers. Such also provides the advantage thatportions of the organ package suspended unintentionally from the rollerson a side of these rollers distant from the nip, will be moved backparticularly at the thicker portions of the rollers and moved throughthe nip to be suspended from the gizzard moving on top of the rollers.

An exemplary, preferred embodiment of the processing device of theinvention has the feature that the rollers have superficial contoursgenerally following the sinusoidal shape of a sine wave or cosine wave.

In one exemplary aspect of the invention that can be applied independentfrom the other features discussed herein, the superficial curvedcontours of cooperating first and second rollers are matching with eachother so as to provide that a portion of the first roller with arelatively small diameter lies adjacent to a portion of the secondroller with a relatively large diameter, and vice versa. The nip canthen be predominantly constant along the length of the rollers, whichsupports the escape of small or weak gizzards from the top of therollers. Consequently, loss of the complete organ package is prevented.

In practice it is desirable that the nip can be adjusted. In the priorart, this adjustment is done by adjusting the distance of the rollers atthe entrance side which receives the organ packages. The nip between therollers then converges in the conveying direction of the rollers from awider part to a narrower part. In the prior art, this has theconsequence that many organ packages are lost shortly or immediatelyafter placement at the entrance side of the rollers. In anotherexemplary aspect of the invention, which also promotes that escape ofsmall or weak gizzards through the nip between the rollers and loss ofthe complete organ package is prevented, the cooperating rollers areadjustable exactly perpendicular to the rollers' longitudinal directionso as to provide that the nip is adjustable to a pre-establishedconstant value—which applies along the entire longitudinal direction ofthe rollers. Also this feature can be applied independent from the otherfeatures of the invention mentioned here above as well as independentfrom the following features.

In another embodiment of the processing device of the invention at leastone of the cooperating rollers is adjustable with respect to the otherroller in its longitudinal direction so as to adjust the nip between therollers. The nip is then not necessarily constant throughout the lengthof the rollers but this may be desirable in certain circumstances.

In yet another exemplary embodiment of the processing device of theinvention in which the rollers are provided with grooves, it may also bebeneficial that at least one of the cooperating rollers is adjustablewith respect to the other roller in its longitudinal direction so as toadjust a space provided by the respective grooves in the direction ofthe nip of the cooperating rollers. This space can then be occupied byone of the organs residing on top of the rollers, which should be caughtand moved through the nip to have the organ suspend below the rollers.Also this exemplary feature can be applied independent from the otherfeatures discussed herein. It is possible to arrive at the same effectby phase-adjusting at least one of the cooperating rollers in itsrotational position with respect to the other roller. A limited andtemporary additional rotation of one of the rollers is sufficient toadjust a space provided by the respective grooves in the direction ofthe nip of the cooperating rollers.

Independent from the foregoing features or in addition thereto it ispreferred, in another exemplary embodiment, that the rollers areprovided with pockets around the rollers' circumference. The pocketsserve the purpose of catching the organs and providing room for them tomove these organs through the nip to below the rollers. Such pockets canalso be effectively applied with certain prior art straight rollers.

In another exemplary aspect of the present invention, it is desirablethat the pockets are provided in different types, each type having adifferent depth than another type to suit for the different sizes of theorgans that have to be caught.

In another exemplary embodiment, it is preferable that the pockets areprovided with edges that are rounded in order to prevent the organs frombeing damaged. By selecting the appropriate level in which the edges arerounded, it is also possible that the pockets effectively loosen theliver from the gizzard.

It is discovered that the most preferential placing of the pockets isaround the roller's circumference at portions of the rollers where therollers exhibit relatively large diameters.

The invention is also embodied in a processing line embodied with one ormore processing devices with the exemplary features as discussed herein.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference tothe drawing of a non-limiting processing device according to theinvention embodied with a combination of preferred features. It is,however, expressly remarked that these features can also be appliedindependent from each other. To save on space, it is believed that usingthe teachings disclosed herein, the skilled person is able to imaginehow particular features can be applied separate from other features. Itis further remarked that particular features as discussed herein, suchas the pockets provided at the circumference of the rollers, can beapplied with similar effect in a processing device with rollers that arestraight in accordance with the prior art. Evidently such straightrollers with pockets as described herein are also covered by theinvention.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdescription and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which areincorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrateembodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including thebest mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is setforth in the specification, which makes reference to the appendedfigures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of the rollers of a processing device accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of rollers in a first relative longitudinalposition and a top view of rollers in a second relative longitudinalposition with respect to each other;

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the rollers of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a single roll showing a particularaspect of the applied pockets in the circumference of the roll.

FIG. 5 is another top view of the rollers of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is another top view of the rollers of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the rollers of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is another end view of the rollers of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a close-up view of the area designated with dashed lines inFIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a close-up view of the area designated with dashed lines inFIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is another top view of the rollers of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is another top view of the rollers of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is an end view of the rollers of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is an end view of the rollers of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a close-up view of the area designated with dashed lines inFIG. 11.

FIG. 16 is a close-up view of the area designated with dashed lines inFIG. 12

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a portion of one end of the rollers inFIG. 1 with an organ package also depicted.

FIG. 18 is an end view of the rollers in FIG. 17 with an organ packagealso depicted.

Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, thesenumerals refer to the same parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For purposes of describing the invention, reference now will be made indetail to embodiments and/or methods of the invention, one or moreexamples of which are illustrated in or with the drawings. Each exampleis provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation ofthe invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and variations can be made in the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.For instance, features or steps illustrated or described as part of oneembodiment, can be used with another embodiment or steps to yield astill further embodiments or methods. Thus, it is intended that thepresent invention covers such modifications and variations as comewithin the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

In the following, the purposes of clarity, the description is restrictedto showing a processing device in accordance with exemplary aspects ofthe invention. Using the teachings disclosed herein, it is within theambit of the skilled person to apply such a processing device in aprocessing line of poultry. Consequently, the machines or machine partsthat constitute such a processing line are not shown because thosefeatures are known to the skilled person. Similarly, the organ packageor packages that may be treated and processed in the processing deviceof the invention are not shown because such organ packages are alsoknown to the skilled person. Moreover the organ packages as such are nota claimed part of the protective scope of the invention.

Turning to FIG. 1, the two cooperating rollers 1, 2 of an exemplaryprocessing device of the invention are shown in a top view. The rollers1, 2 define a nip 3 between the rollers 1, 2 for selectively allowingpreselected organs from an organ package to pass through the nip 3. Therollers 1, 2 rotate in opposite directions as shown in FIG. 3 in orderto convey the organ package and simultaneously promote that preselectedorgans pass through the nip 3.

As clearly follows from what is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the rollers1, 2 have a cross-sectional diameter, the value of which varies as seenin the longitudinal direction of the rollers and depends on the locationof the cross-section between an entrance portion 4 and an exit portion 5of the rollers 1, 2. This provides each of the rollers 1, 2 with asuperficial curved contour 10. According to what FIG. 1 shows, therollers 1, 2 preferably have superficial contours 10 that generallyfollow a sinusoidal shape such as e.g., a sine wave or cosine wave.

FIG. 1 depicts that the varying cross-sectional diameter of the rollers1, 2 provides that each roller 1, 2 exhibits one or more portions A withrelatively small diameters and one or more portions B with relativelylarge diameters in comparison with each other. It is also shown that theportions A with relatively small diameters and the portions B withrelatively large diameters are intermittently provided in thelongitudinal direction of the rollers 1, 2. Furthermore the superficialcurved contours of the cooperating first and second rollers 1, 2 arematching with each other so as to provide that a portion A of the firstroller 1 with a relatively small diameter lies adjacent to a portion Bof the second roller 2 with a relatively large diameter, and vice versa.

Making further reference to FIG. 1, the double arrow C illustrates thatthe cooperating rollers 1, 2 are adjustable exactly perpendicular andtransverse to the rollers 1, 2 longitudinal direction so as to providethat the nip 3 is adjustable to a pre-established constant value X,which applies along the entire longitudinal direction of the rollers 1,2.

FIG. 2 shows another option to adjust the width of the nip 3 to adesired value. The top part of FIG. 2 shows the rollers 1, 2 in a firstlongitudinal position corresponding to what is shown in FIG. 1. Thelower part of FIG. 2 illustrates the effect in an embodiment of theprocessing device of the invention in which at least one of thecooperating rollers 1 is adjustable in its longitudinal direction withreference to the other roller 2 so as to adjust the nip 3 between therollers 1, 2. The longitudinal displacement of the roller 1 is indicatedwith arrow D. FIG. 2 also shows the effect with reference to thepositioning of the grooves 6, 7 on the rollers 1, 2. Similarly, acomparison of FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrates the longitudinal displacementof roller 1 by an amount D relative to roller 2. FIGS. 13 and 14 provideend views of rollers 1 and 2 in FIGS. 11 and 12, respectively, andindicate no rotational adjustment has occurred. FIGS. 15 and 16 providea close-up illustrating the effect on space 11 of the movement by amountD. In one exemplary embodiment, one roll 1 of the cooperating rollers 1,2 is phase-adjusted in its rotational position with respect to the otherroll 2 by a limited rotation of roll 1 according to arrow E so as toadjust a space 11 provided by the respective grooves 6, 7 in thedirection of the nip 3 of the cooperating rollers 1, 2. Similarly,comparisons of FIG. 5 with FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 with FIG. 8 illustrates thechange in rotational position or roller 1 relative roller 2 by an amountaccording to arrow E. FIGS. 9 and 10 provide a close-up illustrating theeffect on space 11 of the rotational movement according to arrow E. Inanother exemplary embodiment, this is done by providing that at leastone roll 1 of the cooperating rollers 1, 2 is adjustable in itslongitudinal direction with respect to the other roll 2 of thecooperating rollers 1, 2. Also then it is possible to adjust the space11 provided by the respective grooves 6, 7 in the direction of the nip 3of the cooperating rollers 1, 2. In the top part of FIG. 2, thecooperating grooves 6, 7 provide more room for receiving an organtherein than the staggered grooves 6, 7, which are shown in the lowerpart of FIG. 2. FIGS. 17 and 18 provide an exemplary illustration of agizzard 12, heart 13, liver 14, and intestines 15 relative to rollers 1and 2 in space 11. It is remarked that in a particular exemplaryembodiment, part of the grooves may have an opposite pitch withreference to the remainder of the grooves.

Returning again to FIG. 1, another exemplary feature of the invention isshown, notably that the rollers 1, 2 are provided with pockets 8 aroundthe rollers' circumference. This is also shown in the cross-sectionalview of FIG. 4. It is preferred that the pockets 8 are provided indifferent types, each type having a different depth than another type.This is not shown in the figures but requires no further elucidation forthe skilled person. Preferably the pockets 8 are provided with edges 9that are rounded. From FIG. 1, it is clear that the pockets 8 areprovided around the roller's circumference at portions of the rollers 1,2 where the rollers exhibit relatively large diameters—that is in theregions that are depicted with B.

Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing withreference to an exemplary embodiment of the processing device of theinvention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodimentwhich can be varied in many ways without departing from the gist of theinvention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not beused to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith.To the contrary, the embodiment is merely intended to explain thewording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims tothis exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the inventionshall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claimsonly, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall beresolved using this exemplary embodiment. While the present subjectmatter has been described in detail with respect to specific exemplaryembodiments and methods thereof, it will be appreciated that thoseskilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing mayreadily produce alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to suchembodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is by wayof example rather than by way of limitation, and the subject disclosuredoes not preclude inclusion of such modifications, variations and/oradditions to the present subject matter as would be readily apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for processing an organ package takenout from slaughtered poultry, comprising the steps of: providing atleast two cooperating rollers that define a nip between the rollers forselectively allowing preselected organs from the organ package to passthrough the nip (3), wherein the rollers having pockets around therollers' circumference; rotating the rollers in opposite directions;conveying the organ package during the step of rotating; and passingpreselected organs pass through the nip (3) during the steps of rotatingand conveying.
 2. The method for processing as in claim 1, wherein thepockets comprise different types, each type having a different depththan another type.
 3. The method for processing as in claim 1, whereinthe pockets have edges that are rounded.
 4. The method for processing asin claim 1, wherein the pockets around the roller's circumference atportions of the rollers exhibit relatively large diameters.
 5. Themethod for processing as in claim 1, wherein each of the rollerscomprises a superficial curved contour such that the rollers exhibit across-sectional diameter, the value of which varies as seen in thelongitudinal direction of the rollers that depends on the location ofthe cross-section between an entrance portion and an exit portion of therollers.
 6. The method for processing as in claim 1, wherein each rollerexhibits one or more portions with relatively small diameters and one ormore portions with relatively large diameters in comparison with eachother.
 7. The method for processing as in claim 1, wherein portions ofthe rollers comprise relatively small diameters and portions of therollers comprise relatively large diameters intermittently in thelongitudinal direction of the rollers.
 8. The method for processing asin claim 1, wherein the rollers comprise superficial contours generallyfollowing a sinusoidal shape of a sine wave or cosine wave.
 9. Themethod for processing as in claim 8, wherein the superficial contours ofthe cooperating first and second rollers match with each other so as toarrange that a portion of the first roller with a relatively smalldiameter lies adjacent to a portion of the second roller with arelatively large diameter, and vice versa.
 10. The method for processingas in claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting the position ofthe cooperating rollers transverse to the rollers' longitudinaldirection so as to arrange that the nip between the rollers is set on apre-established constant value that applies along the entirelongitudinal direction of the rollers.
 11. The method for processing asin claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting at least one of thecooperating rollers with respect to the other roller in its longitudinaldirection so as to set the nip between the rollers on a pre-establishedvalue.
 12. The method for processing as in claim 1, wherein the rollerscomprise grooves, and further comprising the step of adjusting at leastone of the cooperating rollers with respect to the other roller in itslongitudinal direction so as to provide a space of pre-establisheddimensions formed by the respective grooves in the direction of the nipof the cooperating rollers.
 13. The method for processing as in claim 1,wherein the rollers comprise grooves, and further comprising the step ofphase-adjusting at least one of the cooperating rollers in itsrotational position with respect to the other roller so as to provide aspace of pre-established dimensions formed by the respective grooves inthe direction of the nip of the cooperating rollers.